Guard-rail-spacing block.



' 'F. W. RIZER. GUARD BAIL smc APPLICATION FILED ING BLOGK.

' Patented oat. 6,1908.

UNITED sTATEs PAIENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK W. RIZER, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF To F. MfPATTERsoN,

oFcHIoAeo', ILLINOIS.

I euAaii nAm-sracine a ioox.

i Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 6, 1908.

Application filed-February 4., 1908. s miflno. 414,196.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK W. Riznu, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certainnew and useful Improvementsin Guard-Rail-Spacing Blocks; and I do hereby declaref athatthe following is a full, clear, and exactadescription thereof, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings, and tothe letters of: reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification. 1

This invention relates to a novel guard rail block for railway tracks designed to be interposed between the rails to space or separate a guard rail from an adjacent track rail in a manner to variably separate the rails or to maintain an approximately constant width-0f flange-way between said rails notwithstanding wear on adjacent rails tending to increase the width of the flange way.

pointed out in the appended claims.

A guard rail block embodyingmy invention is formed with a, plurality of lateral bearing faces arranged in pairs, the faces of each pair being disposed in parallel relation and the width of theblockbetween the bearing faces of each pair varying with respect to the width thereof between the bearing faces of the other pairs. Said block is provided with a plurality of through bolt openings which intersect each other at the center of the block and each opening extends directly between the parallel opposing bearing faces of a pair and'gdisposed at right angles to the bearing faces between which it extends. v A i The guard rail block shown in the draw ings comprises an irregularih'exagon in horizontal sectional contour, it havingsix lateral bearing faces arranged inthree pairs, and is provided with three bolt openings, each extending from side to side of the block and intersecting each other at the center thereof. This block may be adjustedtherefore to three different positions to provide three different widths of flange-way, or may maintain an approximately uniform-width of flange-way notwithstanding wear .on; the sides of the rail heads. In the latter use of the guard rail block it is arranged, when first installed, tospace the rails from center to center the maximum distance apart. 'As

associated bearing faces.

the heads ,ofthe rails are worn by the wheel flanges and the flange-way is therefore increased beyond a desired width the block is turned'to presentltwo other lateral bearing faces to the rails of a less distance apart than the bearing faces first engaged with the rails andthe rails clamped against the block by a bolt extending through the block and rails,

;thusdrawing the rails closer together and ;readjusting the flange-way to approximately the original width thereof. When the flangeway is again widenedby wear on the rails the block is again turned to bring a still shorter dimension between the rails and the rails again clamped against the block to bring them closer togethen The said block is provided on its under surface with out- ;wardly and upwardly inclined faces, arranged-in 'line with said lateral faces'and arranged to conform to the base flanges of the rails in all positions ofthe block. The invention consists in the matters here-f inafter set forth and more particularly" In the drawings :Figure 1 is a top plan view of .a guard rail and a section of an ad acent track or switch rail spaced therefrom by my improved guard rail block.

2 1s a transverse section taken through o'ne'of the guard rail blocks. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of one of the blocks. Fig. 1

terposed between the guard rail 11 and track rail 12 which they are designed to separate.

Each of said blocks is provided with three pairs of lateral bearing faces 14, 1 1, 15, 15

and 16, 16 which are shaped to conform to the inner. or adjacent sides of the rail webs; j Each block is provided with a number of bolt openings 17 equal to the number of pairs of lateral bearing faces 14, 15 and 16, re-

spectively, each bolt opening extending between the two lateral bearing faces of each pair and arranged at right angles to their Bolts 20 extend through said bolt openings 17 and through registering openings in the railavebs. Said bolts are provided with clamping nuts 21 by which the guard rail is pressed or clamped up against the blocks. The bolts act in the usual manner to holdthe guard rail from spreading from the track rail, while the blocks serve to separate the guard and track rails a desired distance. The said blocks are provided on their under sides with a plurality of outwardly and upwardly widened or rounded surfaces arranged opposite to or in line with the lateral bearing surfaces and shaped to correspond to the base flanges of the track and guard rails which the blocks engage in all positions of adjustment of the blocks. The blocks are made of such vertical dimensions as to clear the wheel flanges and may, therefore, be made plain or smooth on their upper sides.

By the use of the blocks described, I am enabled to separate a guard rail at varying distances from the track rail to provide for varying widths of flange-ways or to adjust the guard rail toward the track rail, when said rails are worn, to maintain an approximately constant width of flange-way. In the latter use of the blocks, after the rails have been worn to produce an objectionally wide flange way, the bolts are removed and the blocks turned to present to the rails bearing faces of a less distance apart than those theretofore engaging the rails, after which the bolts are inserted through the rails and the new openings in the blocks and the parts clamped together to draw the guard rail towards the track rail and the flange-way between the rails reduced to approximately its original width. The block may be thus adjusted to the rails in as many different positions as there are pairs of lateral bearing faces. The usefulness of a block is thus greatly prolonged.

I claim as my invention 1. A guard rail block provided with a plurality of oppositely disposed lateral bearing faces arranged in pairs with "the faces of each pair parallel with each other, the distance between the opposing faces of each pair varying with respect to the distance between opposing faces of the other pairs, said block being provided with a plurality of through bolt openings which intersect each other at the center of the block, each extending directly between to opposing lateral bearing faces.

2. A guard rail block having lateral bearing faces which are arranged to provide an irregular hexagon in horizontal section with the faces of opposing sides parallel, and bolt openings extending through the block and intersecting at the center thereof, each extending directly between two opposing parallel bearing faces.

3. A guard rail block having lateral hearing faces which are arranged to provide an irregular hexagon in horizontal section with the faces of opposing sides parallel, and bolt openings extending through the block and intersecting at the center thereof, each extending directly between two opposing parallel bearing faces, the bottom face of the block being curved or inclined upwardly and outwardly in line with each of said lateral bearing faces to conform to the base flanges of the rails in an positions of the block.

In testimony that I claim the foregoil'lg as my invention 1 aflix my signature in the presence of two witnesses, this 31st day of J anuary A. D. 1908.

REDERICK V. RIZER.

Witnesses W. L. HALL, G. R. lVILKINs. 

